Method of hanging gates



SAMUEL OBERHOLZER, OF TERRE HILL, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF HANGING GATES, DOORS, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 14,826, dated May 6, 1856.

T @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL OBERr-IoLZE-R, of Terre Hill, in the countyof Lancaster' and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in the Hanging' of Gates or Heavy Doors; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full and exact description thereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of thisspecification, Figure l being a side view of a gate hanging in a normalposition; Fig. 2, a view of the gate hanging in an oblique position, andFigs. 3, 4, 5, and

6 are views of detached portions of the gate and the machinery combinedtherewith.

Similar letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

My invention consists in so arranging the machinery of an obliquelyadjustable gate, or door, that in elevating the outer extremity of saidgate or door, up to a certain point, it will be caught or held in anoblique position; but if the outer end of said gate, or door, beelevated above the desired retaining point, the retaining machinerywill, by said movement, be detached from its hold and allow the gate todescend to its normal position.

In the accompanying drawings A, is the inner upright portion of aswinging gate frame, and B, is a broad-faced post to which the gate ishung.

The lower hinge of the gate, is composed of the jointed pieces m and11;-the latter being firmly secured to the inner upright portion of thegate, and the latter being jointed to the post B, by means of thespindle Z9, and lsuitable eye-pieces. Or the said lower hinge may beconstructed in any other manner that will allow of the requisite doublemovements of the gate. The upper hinge of the gate, is composed of therackbar Zz, the pinion'lc, the shaft z', the ratchetwheel a, and thepawl Z); which parts of said hinge are arranged in connection with thelevers f, and g, and the pawl-holder c, in the manner and for thepurpose which will be hereinafter clearly set forth.

The inner end of the rack-bar h, is hinged to the post B, in anysuitable manner. The said rack-bar passes through a mortise in theupright portion A, of the gate, and its teeth match into the teeth ofthe pinion Z6, on the shaft z'. rIhe bearing boxes of the shaft z', aresecured to the sides of the mortise in the upright A, in the mannerrepresented in Fig. 5. The shaft z', projects a sufficient distance infront of the face of A, to receive, first the ratchet wheel a, then thelever g, and then the lever f, as shown in the drawings.

A little above the upper edge of the ratchet-wheel a, a plate Z, is letinto a recess in the face of A, and firmly secured therein. The pawl Z),is pivoted to the right hand end of the said plate Z, and thepawl-holder c, is pivoted to the opposite end of said plate. Thevibrating end of the pawl-holder c, is supported by the pin e, whichprojects from the plate Z. The hook s, at the outer end of thepawl-holder c, curves outward a sufficient distance to catch and retainthe pawl b, in the elevated position shown in Fig. 3, when it is thrownupward by the action of the lever g, upon the flanch m, which projectsfrom the outer side of said pawl. By elevating the pawl-holder c, ashort distance, the pawl b, will be detached therefrom and fall upon theratchet-wheel a. The pawl-holder is elevated by the action of theextremity of the lever f, against the under side of the handle (Z, whichprojects from said pawl-holder.

In case the gate should sag to such a degree as to allow its outerextremity to touch the ground; or in case the gate post should be struckby a vehicle and inclined toward the front or rear, so as to prevent thegate from swinging freely; or in case the free movement of the gateshould beA obstructed by snow, the gate may be made to swing free andclear by elevating its outer eX tremity. The elevation of the outer eX-tremity of the gate will impart a rotary motion to the shaft z', whichcarries the ratchet wheel a, and the levers f, and g. The pawl Z), willplay upon the teeth of the ratchet wheel a, and retain the gate in anydesired position. And when it is desired to let the gate down to itsnormal position again, it is only necessary to raise the outer end ofthe gate high enough to bring the extremity of the lever g, under thepawl b, and raise it into the position shown in Fig. 8, when the saidpawl will be caught and retained in an elevated position by thepawl-holder c, which will allow the gate to descend freely until itsdescent is arrested at the proper moment by the descent of the pawl b,upon the ratchet wheel, caused by the elevation of the pawl-holder c, bythe action of the extremity holder o, With each other and with thelevers f, and g, the ratchet-wheel a, the pinion lo, and the rack-bar h,substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

The above specification of my improved method of hanging gates, or heavydoors, signed and witnessed this 7th day of March,

SAMUEL OBERHOLZER Witnesses:

Z. C. ROBBINS, ToMAs W. LAY.

